Wide Open Spaces
by nico1225
Summary: Symphony is the definition of inexperienced and innocent, this is the 19 year old girls tale; a narrative that's my twist on the wasteland.
1. Chapter 1

I don't remember anything, I can only hear the pounding of my head. I just know I'm in a dark room, in an unknown bed and I have only underclothes on. I looked down at my pale skinny body and sighed. Great. I sat up as quickly as I could without causing too much pain only to feel cold hands on my arms, I pulled away startled. "Woah there, you shouldn't be moving so fast." I looked up to see the face of an old, balding man. Where the hell am I? He gave me a awkward look and I realized I have been starring at him with the oddest expression, I quickly looked down. "Can you tell me your name?" "Symphony," I answered. He scoffed and I glared at him. Yes, my name was strange but he didn't have to be rude about it. He raised his hands in apology. "Not what I've picked for ya, but if that's your name, that's your name. I'm Doc Mitchell." I lightened my stare and tried to stand up. Doc quickly sat me back down, "Hold on there, I had to go rooting around in your noggin to pull all the bits of lead out, tell me if I left anything outta place. " Hm, oh yeah. I got killed. Out of all of the couriers to kill the man in the checkered suit chose me. I thought I had lived a pretty decent life, I'm only 19 and I'd never hurt a bloatfly, but they still chose me... This world really is cruel. I picked up the Reflectron and looked at my appearance. Big, bright blue, glazed over eyes starred back at me. My short, auburn hair was in its normal place puffed up at the top of my head. My semi big lips were horribly chapped and my eye makeup was smeared, but other than that I was the spitting image of my mother. I smirked remembering my father telling me that every boy would be falling head over heels for me, no matter where I went in this world, right before placing a light kiss on my mothers forehead, followed by mine. I never really the got the love of hundreds of boys in the Mojave Express. Although, I did have the attention of another courier, Daniel Wyand, but I never saw him enough to fall for him. I handed the Reflectrom back to Doc and sadly said, "That's me." After a long talk with Doc, he told me all about my killers and where I should go next. "I found this note on ya when you was brought in, I hope you don't mind but I read it over hoping it'd help my find kin, but it was just something about a platinum chip. But, before ya go I want you to have these." He handed me a Vault 21 jumpsuit and a strange device. "The suit was my wife's, she was about your size, hardly wore after we left the vault. And that there is a Pip-Boy. Its standard for every vault dweller to have one and, well you need it more than me, I believe you'll find it quite helpful." Doc helped me put on the Pip-Boy and I got dressed in his bathroom, avoiding the mirror. As I left his home, I thanked him a million times for saving my life and for his kindness. He told me: "I hope ya find what you're lookin' for." And boy, oh boy, so do I.


	2. Chapter 2

I stepped out into the dusty, hot wasteland and immediately just wanted to relax in Doc's house again. I walked towards to Saloon where Doc told me I'd find Sunny Smiles, who is supposed to teach me to survive. Inside the Saloon, I found Sunny standing in the doorway, I jumped whenever her dog barked menacingly at me, but Sunny quickly calmed her down. "Doc told me you could help me survive in the wastes." Sunny raised an eyebrow at me. She looked the type that could definitely handle herself. I starred down at my feet under her scrutiny. "Well, alright. Follow me out back and I'll show you a thing or two." Courier, dog and town security walked through the dark, alcohol dank bar. I strode past an older looking woman and she offered me a kind smile, I grinned back. This town was pretty nice. Back outside, Sunny threw me a rifle. I caught it but not before the force from the unsuspecting throw knocked me on my back. I hopped up, embrasassed of my stupidity. Putting the rough strap from the rifle around my neck and holding the gun in both hands, I waited for Sunny's instructions. "Now, look down the sights at those Sarsaparilla bottles on the fence there. It might help to crouch down, there ya go. Now just pull the trigger, and bam. There's one dead Sarsaparilla bottle." I was full on grinning at my success from actually hitting the target on my first try with a weapon. Sunny smiled at me and said, "Now I don't reckon you came here to learn to fight Sarsaparilla bottles, so why don't you come with me to clean out the water pumps? Darn geckos are attracted to it." My grin disappeared, I was no where near ready to fight living things. I let my new rifle hang loose on the strap that now seemed scratchy on my neck. "Uhm, no I'm okay. I'm need some supplies and such, but thank you." "Suit yourself," Sunny said, "I'll be seeing ya round'. But do me a favor and say hey to Trudy. She's kind of the town mom and she'd love to meet ya. Good luck out there-err what's your name again?" "Symphony." Sunny snorted, "A name like that ain't gonna get you no where in the wastes. Ain't no one gonna take you serious." I watched Sunny's back turn to me and waited until she disappeared over the horizon, to lie down on the hard dirt. My mind drifted to easier times, I heard my mothers beautiful violin playing, and saw her in her dark green chair with her original symphonies out in front of her. 8:30 every night she would put up her instrument and tuck me into bed, telling me I'm the most beautiful symphony she had ever created. I woke up dazed and confused, it took me awhile to get rid of the soft music in my head and take in my surroundings. It was almost nightfall, but there was still enough daylight to take out the remaining Sarsaparilla bottles before heading inside to meet Trudy. Trudy was a sweet woman, I could see why people call her the town mom. She supplied me with some extra ammo, stimpacks and some water, along with an abandoned house I could stay in for my time in Goodsprings and instructions on how to get to Primm, where she said my attackers went next. I laid down on the dirty mattress that night and fell asleep with dreams of slow music playing. I woke up the next morning with a slight headache and nawing hunger pains. I chowed down on some crispy squirrel bits and grabbed my gun and stepped out into the warm, irradiated air. I gathered a couple sarsaparilla bottles and took them out behind the Saloon. A little until nightfall, I looked down at my flithy outfit and decided I was in a desperate need for caps. I asked around for work and was eventually directed to the old school house. The door creaked open eerily and slowly I walked in with my rifle in hand. I heard quiet cricking and turned on my Pip-Boy light. My boots sounded like heavy thuds on the concrete as I walked through the school house, looking for a safe Sunny told me of. My heart was beating a thousand times per minute and I opened the door revealing a safe half in the ground, half out. "Thank god," I whispered under my breath. Crouching down, I retrieved bobby pins from my back pocket and a Locksmith's Reader Sunny gave me, to help me out a little on the lock. After wasting 5 bobby pins and 1 hour I finally cracked the safe. Inside, was 4 small pullstring pouches, each containing 100 caps. I sat on my rear and just laughed a little. I needed a breather and well, 400 caps was definitely a wonderful breather. Yes, I felt somewhat bad about stealing a schools funds, but no one was here and I need it they don't. I slept one more night in Goodsprings, and the next morning, stopped by the store and purchased some leather armor, and 9mm pistol, and some ammo. I said a sad goodbye to everyone I had met there and walked down the road towards Primm. I was now alone again.


	3. Chapter 3

Primm was just about an hours walk down one road. The flag of the two-headed bear burned red in my vision. I fought to keep the memories inside of me, and trekked on. The NCR trooper standing guard told me of convicts that had holed up in the town he directed me to a tent with his commanding officer but, I chose to go into the town anyways. I could probably bargain with the convicts. The town was quiet; eerily quiet. I looked around for any sign of life and then my Pip-Boy started blinking red. My heart started beating as I heard rough voices. There was two, at least. I pulled out my 9mm and couch-walked to the corner of the Vikki and Vance Casino. Peering around the corner, I saw two men, both twice my size. Breath, Symphony, breath. These definitely weren't Sarsaparilla bottles. I inhaled deeply and slowly turned the corner. Neither of the men noticed. I raised two shaky hands and aimed at one of the mans head. I grit my teeth and fired two bullets. The man fell dead with a thud on the ground and from there on everything went in slow motion, I had never killed a man before... And it made me feel not right. I stood up and shot twice at the second man and one got him in the leg, he fell to the floor and his gun landed and released a single bullet. I felt a sharp pain and shot the fallen man in the head. Dropping to my knees I looked down to the sight of crimson, and then nothing. I woke up several hours later to voices murmuring that I was awake. I sat up in bed and was instantly greeted. "The names Johnson Nash, husband to Ruby Nash. I run the local Mojave Express. You are?" "Sym-err... Sarah. I'm a courier." "Well I don't have any work right now." "I, uhh, lost a package I was supposed to deliver. Here's the delivery order. I'm sorry, sir." Well, turns out I was one of six couriers hired by the same person to deliver random poker-like objects. Except, me, courier six, had the real package. I left the casino with directions to head to Nipton through Novac and I newly cleaned and fixed up leg, (also about five less stimpacks). misc plan I pus Out of the corner of my eye I saw something- a body. I turned sharpy and ran over to the the local Mojave Express building and knelt down next to my only friend. The tears fell freely, I didn't belong out in the wastes fighting like I am, and Daniel didn't deserve to die carelessly thrown against this building. I had never done anything like this; I killed two men tonight, whether they deserved it or not I can't be like the man in the checkered suit. I didn't deserve to die but I got killed; I can't be like that. I sat against the wall heavily, holding Daniel's cold hand and everything flowed out of me. I am a nice, sweet and sometimes awkward person, I haven't done anything in my life wrong. Why is everything wrong now?


	4. Chapter 4

Again on the one road that I've following for the past few days. This time, I held myself a little higher. I can get through this alive and with what I'm looking for: revenge. Without emotions, love or lust. Just revenge. Smiling at the thought, I hiked on with my duffle on my back and my 9mm in hand; ready for what the wastes will throw at me. I arrived in the town of Nipton just before dark. The arrid air burned my nose and eyes. Smoke attacked my senses; but I went on. I walked down the main road of the town on both sides of me were the moaning bodies of men; hanging from crosses. I fought to keep what was in my stomach down, and I kept walking. The door to the town hall creaked open in front of me and 6 or so people walked out. They were pale men in... Skirts? I think the only thing keeping me from laughing was the slaughter around me, honestly. I walked closer to them as bravely as I could muster. A man in a dog hat, who introduced himself as Vulpes Inculta, spoke to me with a silvery voice. He slowly told me of the fate of the town of Nipton and of his alliance; Caesar's Legion. I have never been more terrified, yet fascinated in all of my life. I have heard of them before. They were slavers and murders, the worst of the worst. Yet, I've always had an interest in them. Caesar wanted to rule purely at any cost, while NCR wanted too much they never could be satisfied. But which is the greater evil? Vulpes left me with the task of spreading the word of The Legion. As they're footsteps got quieter and quieter, I stood there; shaking. I had nothing to do with the legion nor NCR and I needed to keep it that way. Turning on my heels, I unholstered my 9mm and stomped towards the crucifixed men. Without the slightest bit of emotion showing in my eyes I aimed the gun at the mans head, right between the eyes. "Please..." The man begged, "help me." I will help. I squeezed my eyes shut and pulled the trigger. I don't remember finishing off the remaining men, but it got done somehow or another. I didn't want to stay and the dead town of Nipton, so I continued on the broken road towards the town of Novac. I could feel the progress of myself turning emotionless. I no longer cringed at the idea of murder, but I still resented the idea. But, I still felt like I virgin of the wastes, I just hope I didn't look it. I went around the curve of the road surrounded by mountians expecting to get ambushed, but I found nothing but empty shotgun shells in a puddle of blood. The sight made me uneasy, but I walked on. I continued walking for three hours more following the path on my Pip-Boy before I saw something amazing. A dinosaur. I smiled, I was almost to semi-comfort. Half an hour later I arrived in Novac, and my map no longer told me where to go. I was slightly confused, but too tired to worry about it, tonight. I spent a few caps for a nights stay in a hotel near the giant dinosaur. I popped off my boots and filled the dirty tub with warm, irradiated water, pulling off my armor piece by piece, slowly. I looked down, disgusted at the dirty, pale body I was seeing and made a mental note to shower more often. I took a Rad-X and laid down in the tub. I closed my eyes and smiled. "This is the best I've felt in weeks." I spoke aloud, letting the warm water wash my regrets and feelings away... Just for a moment. I let go of the serenity I felt relaxing and got out of the tub and dried off. I put on sleep wear and laid down in bed, fully planning on sleeping all day. With a night under my pillow, and tons on my shoulders, I fell into a dreamless sleep.


End file.
